Time to Admit

Dr. Berger was referred to me by his wife and our mutual colleague, Dr. Berg, for an evaluation of his drinking problem. It was clear that he wasn’t as concerned about his alcohol consumption as the people who were encouraging him to get help. PART II

The idea of reaching out for help was pretty much anathema to Dr. Berger, although he admitted that he “needed a drink to relax sometimes” because of the stress he was enduring after a difficult aliyah and getting his family practice going.

The first step in treating anyone suffering from substance abuse is to get them to the place where they admit they need the substance in order to survive or at least make it through the day or the next few hours. And that need is more fierce and desperate than any amount of willpower a person thinks he can muster.

“Dr. Berger,” I asked gently, “do you need alcohol to function?”